Sealing rings



J. W. HOWLETT ET AL SEALING RINGS Filed July 25; 1956 Feb. 16, 1960 2 Inventors.- v John Wd'iaM Howlatt Kc vm 1H1 avfkur Blamk lqck uvuwct wucwla Q BMW';

Attorneys.

' pressure on the ring is released.

s Psa 2,925,296 A R-s ead: e as ing ring according to the invention, and

'. Fig. 3, shows a perspective v ewof anotherform of sealing ring'according to the invention. 4 I i Referring to the drawing, each sealing ring is generally constructed in the manner described in our copending, application Ser. No.'468,943 filedjNovember 15',

mg movable members, such as pistons or plungers movable in cylinders,"or reciprocating orrotary shafts-mova ble ina glandor'bearing against-leakage therepastfand more particularly toimprovements'pr modifications, of the invention disclosed in our eopendingapplicatio N0. 468,943 filed November 15, 1954.1. The aforementioned applicationdiscloses a; sealing :-ring comprising ametal ring having a rubberrring bonded onto its internalor'external'peripheral face, depending upon whether the-ringis to bei outwa'rdly-or inwardly ,acting, the composite metal and rubbenring being split similar to a conventional piston ring. or comprising, a plurality of separate ring segmentar'The rubber ring, is

shaped 'or provided with recessed or cut away portions sorthat when the composite ring'is compressed into a ring groove, 'one or rhorecavitis will be formed into which the ruhber'canxplastically. flow as the ring is compressed'into the groove. '7

There is also provi prising two-or more sealing-rings as-above lde'scribed-arhe 'rangedside-by-side in a'ring groovewiththe ring gaps in ded a sealing arrangement com theadja'cent rings displacedoutof alignment and-prefer ably shaped to'provide one or morecavities'betweenthe adjacentfacesiof the rubber rings:

I When such rings are used in applications; isuch as? 1954 and comprises a metal ring 1' to the internal periph cry of which is bonded a ring 2 of natural or synthetic rubber "or rubber-like material; Therings are split at 3 in order to, allow them to be sprung over a shaft into a groove. The side fac'e'ofeach rubber ring is chamfered towards the bore of the ring as shown at '4. If desired, the ring nia'y'be splitiat more than one point on its circumference.

' In order to achieve a seal, two such 'ringsiare assembled side-b'y side inthejring grooves, with their chamfered faces adjacent to "onefanother as fshown'in FigQ'lj, the chamfered faces defining a cavity 6 behind draulic applications, in which' apressure-isbuilt up in the cavity or cavities formed behind the ring orrings due to leakage offluid-through the gapein ithe ring ;on the pres sure side, ithas' been found that there .is a tendency for this pressure 'to remain locked 'inthe space 'formed by the cavity or cavities and thusprevent furtherrelative i,

"rnovernent of the piston, shaft or the like incorporating .'the sealingarrangementa,"

-The present invention seeks to overcome ith is.dis vantage and to this end means are provided forirelieving :the pressure in the cavity or caviti when the external the, rings; The combined jfradial depth of the rubber and the rings are cbmpiesisjedto close the gaps therein, the 'i'hbberiwithinfthe. rin :groove' will also, be cprnpressed r y w e he. wo rings providing a space into' the rubber'can flowfwhen compressed. The radial j compression of therubber projvides the'necessary'wall'pressure between the periphery of 'the ring and the cylinder against'which .it moves.

- Thel'paifjoi rings are arrangedin the groove with the gaps thereindisplaced from one another, preferably at diametrically opposite points; Thus, if any oil or other 'fluidishould leak, through thefs'a of the 'rin g' which is ion the high pressure side of'jthe,assembly,'ipglicatedlat ,A; in Figure 1, this'fluid will flow into the cavjt a 6! between" the, rings and assist in loading the. ringsf'onlto' the surfaceagainst whichJthey hear. The rubber ringsiwill be forced 'into close contactiwith the sidewalls of the r'ingi groove, and furthermore, will I be'urged toseal' over or new; intothe gap of the second ringonithelowpressure side, indicated atJB in Figure 1, jtherfibyresisting' or preventing lealrage or fluid through the agn the se d -M if; i y 5 Inorder toyprevent thepi'essurebuiltup in the cavity Z'Gffron'i remaining locked. in 'this"spa'ce when the' exs te'r'nal pressureis released, and thereby preventing fnrther", relative movement of the piston shaft er the like,

V j'accordin gi'to the present invention means are provided v [for relieving the pressure in the cavity 6 when theex- "In .one form of the invention, one or more small I grooves are formed radially across one face ot-the ring member so that theyextend across the composite rnetal and rubber ring and are arranged to communicate with' the cavity or cavities formed behind the rings. Where' two or more rings are arranged'side-by-side' in a'ring groove, the ring positioned towards the pressure side of the assembly is provided with the small grooves extend- 7 ing'radially across its face remotefrom the other ring or rings which grooves communicate with the cavity or cavitiesformed between the adjacent faces of the rubber I V rings. a V p In order that the invention may be more fully under- Eternal pressure on "the "ring is released. "This pressure relieving meanslin the emhodiment'shown in ,Figuresf l and i2 comprises a plurality of small grooves 7, extend "ingtradiall'y acrossjthe upper surface of the composite f metaly'and rubber ring and communicating 'with the chamfered portion 4 which defines the cavity 6 behind the ring. These pressure relieving grooves are provided a only in the ring positioned towards the pressure side -A;

of the assembly shown in Fig. 1. 7

In'amodification shown in Fig. 3, the pressure reliev- V 4 'ing means, instead'of comprising grooves, consists of a plurality of small'bores 8 through, the ring connecting the chamfered portion 4 of the ring, with the external pressure side of the ring.

' With the arrangement according to the present inven- 7 tion, when the external fluid pressure on the ring is released, any fluid pressure built-up in the cavity or cavities stood, reference willnow be made to the accompanying drawing, in which: 7 I a Fig.- 1 shows asection through a ring groove fitted with a sealing arrangement according to theinvention,

the section being taken through one of' the pressure relieving means,

betweenthe rings can be vented back through the pressurerelieving means such as the small grooves! or c bores 8.

I Whilst 'aiparticular embodiment has been described it will be understood thatvarious modifications-may 'made without departing from the scope of this invention,"

Fig, 2 shows a, perspective view M one of seal It will be appreciated that the term rubber" as used in the specification and claims is intended to include natural rubber and also synthetic rubbers. :-W m=.= 1 1 l.' A' sealing rin'g comprising armetal ring having parallel, axiallyflextendingperipheral faces, a rubber ring bonded to one peripheral face of said metal ring, said rubberring, extending entirely across said face, but not extending axially beyond said face and radially over the metal ring, at Ieastone radiallydirected split extend ing through said metal ring and said rubber ring and at least apart of the axially'extending surface of said rubher ring being shaped throughout its'circumferenceso that said vpart has a depth in the axial direction of the ring which isless thanthe axial depth of the metal ring toform a recess in the axial face of the rubber ring and passage means connecting said recess with an external radial surface of said metal ring. 7

2. VA sealing ring asclaimed in claim 1, in which at least one radial groovecxtends across one surface of said sealing ring between a peripheral edge of said metal ring and said recess.

3., A sealing ring comprising a metal ring having parallel axially extendingperipheral faces a rubber ring bonded on to one'peripheral face of said metal ring, said rubber ring extending; entirely across said face, but not extending axially beyond said face and radially over the metal, at ,least one radiallydirected' split extending thrqughisaidcmetal ringland said rubber'ring and the axiallyvextending surface. of said, rubber ring being proyided; with a circumferential chamfer extending across said surface and a plurality of radial grooves extending ,acrossthe wider radial surface of said. sealing ring be- I tween aperipheral edge of said metal ring and said chamfer. V

I 4. Av sealing ring comprising a metal ring, a rubber ring-bonded on; to thelinternal peripheral face of said metal ring, said rubber ring extending entirely across .said face, but not extending axially over said face and radially beyond the metal ring, atleast one radially directed split extending through. said metal ring and. said rubber ring-and the axially extending inner surface of said rubber ring being. providedrwithr a circumferential chamferextending across at least a portion of said sur- 1 face so that said surface has a depth in the axial direction of the ring which is less than the axial depth of the .;rn'e tal ring and at least one groove formed radially across oneface of. said. composite metal and rubber ring and connecting said'chamferand a peripheral edge of said metal ring,

5. 18 sealing. arrangement comprising a member havingga sealing ringgroovIe formed therein, at leasttwo composite. sealing rings disposed side-by-side insaid ring groovc,qeach.of said sealing rings comprising a metal fringhaving parallel axially extending peripheral faces,

alrubber ring bonded onto the peripheral face of said rubber ring extending entirely across said face, but not extending axially beyond said face and radially over the metal ring, at least one radially-directed split extending through said metal ring and said rubber ring and at least a part of each of said rubber rings which faces the bottom of the groove being shaped so that said part of each of said rubber rings has a depth in the axial direction of the ring which is less than the axial depth of the metal ring, said sealing rings being arranged in said groove such that the splits in the rings are displaced out of alignment and so that said shaped parts, with said groove, define a circumferentially-extending cavity behind the rubber rings and passage means provided in that one of said sealing rings which is on the high pressure side of the sealing arrangement, saidpassage means connecting said cavity with an external surface of said metal ring which:is on the highpressure side of the sealing arrangement. 1

6. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 5, having at leastone groove extending radially across one end faceof one composite metal and rubber sealing ring vand connecting said cavity with a pcripheral edge of said metalrring. 1 1

7. A sealing arrangement comprising a member having a sealing ring groove formed therein, a pair of composite sealing rings disposed side-by-side 'in said ring groove, each of said sealing rings comprising a metal ring, a rubber ringbonded on to the peripheral face of said metal ring which faces the bottom of the groove, said rubber ring extending enrirely across said face, but not extending axially beyond said face and .radia-llyibeyond the axial'bonding line.betweenthemetalandrubber rings, at -l east one radially directed split extending throughsaid metal ring and said rubber ring and at least a part of each of said rubbertrings vwhich faces the bottom of the groove being chamfered, said sealing rings being arranged in said groovesuch that the splits in the rings are displaced out of alignment and so that said cham-fered parts with said groove define a circumferential cavity behind the rubber rings, and a plurality. of grooves formed radially across the outer end surfaceof that one of said rings which is on the high pressure side of the sealing arrangement and connecting said cavity' withv a peripheral edge of the metal ring;

References-Cited in the file of this patent -UNITED STATES PATENTS 

